British diplomat expelled in Malawi assigned to Zambia

The  British diplomat Fergus Cochrane-Dyet  who was expelled in Malawi has been appointed British High Commissioner to Zambia in succession to James Thornton, who has transferred to another Diplomatic Service appointment.

Fergus Cochrane-Dyet was told to leave Malawi after he was quoted in a leaked cable as saying the late president Bingu wa Mutharika   and his  DPP government was dictatorial.

Following Cochrane-Dyet’s expulsion, UK also ordered Malawi’s high commissioner to leave London in tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions.

The sour diplomatic relations between Malawi and the United Kingdom (UK)  ended during the reign of Joyce Banda as the Lilongwe and London exchanged envoys.

Cochrane-Dyet will now be closer to Malawi  on a diplomatic tour of duty to the neibhouring country. He willtake up his appointment in Zambia during April 2016.